1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for distressing panels, as for example floor boards.
More particularly, it is the aim of the present invention to provide a method or process for distressing the decorative face of panels which decorative face comprises a wooden layer or the like.
The present invention is applicable to any panel comprising at least a decorative layer that can be impressed. The panel may also be made of massive wood, and the layer to be impressed may be provided of coatings or the like, or coatings may be applied after the treatment according to the invention. Such coatings may comprise one or more ultraviolet or electron beam cured transparent lacquer layers, wherein preferably at least one of said lacquer layers comprises hard particles, such as aluminiumoxide or siliconcarbide particles.
Such layer to be treated may in particular have a fibrous structure, particularly wood or lumber, hardboard, particle board and the like.
The present invention is of particular interest to so-called plywood panels, that comprise three or more layers or plies of wood or veneer, that have been glued on top of each other. The gluing is preferably performed in such a way that the direction of the wood grain changes from one ply to the other. More specifically the direction of the wood grain in two adjacent layers is preferably perpendicular, such that so-called cross-linked plywood is attained. Such plywood panels are particularly dimensionally stable and very suitable to be applied in flooring. The number of plies is preferably uneven, for example equal to three or five. The impressible decorative layer of such plywood panel is preferably formed by the uppermost wood veneer layer. The uppermost wood veneer layer is preferably of a higher quality than one or more of the other plies, wherein this quality is expressed according to ANSI-HPVA HP-1-2000 and preferably equal to grade A, B or N, whereas one or more of the other plies preferably have a quality equal to grade C or D.
The present invention is also related to an apparatus for treating the decorative face of a panel to simulate the visual effect of a distressed panel, said decorative face comprising at least a layer of wood or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
It is a known practice to artificially distress floor boards.
There is a growing demand for floor boards of which the decorative surface is provided of textures simulating a rustic effect.
Floor boards are known to be treated in an automated way by means of an apparatus.
A known apparatus as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,328 comprises transversely spaced tools such as rotary cutters having respective lifting mechanisms controlled by a programming device.
A wood panel to be treated is passed with respect to these transversely spaced tools.
The tools are advanced intermittently toward the moving panel to distress spaced areas of the adjacent surface in a suitable pattern.
Preferably, the tools are individually advanced toward the moving panel.
The advance of the tools toward the moving panel is preferably program controlled.
A limitation of this known method and apparatus consists in the fact that the movements of the tools, linked to the movements of the panel or not, provide a pattern of distress marks.
Moreover, the mechanism being similar to a piano-mechanism and being provided of transversely spaced tools can only apply distress marks in line with these tools.
No distress marks can be applied on the positions between the transversely spaced tools. The optionally present second, third or fourth series of distressing tools with different height of cutting edge can only result in cuts with varying depth.
Although neither mentioned nor hinted, it is clear that even four series of distressing tools, even if the corresponding tools would be mutually transversely shifted, would result in maximum four series of marks all positioned on straight lines.
In case of floor boards, it is clear that when such panels are placed together to form a floor covering, the patterns and distress marks positioned in line are easily observed as being artificial.